


Two Kids With Parent Problems

by Blayk_ist_nichts_und_dumm



Category: Psychonauts (Video Games), Psychonauts Rhombus of Ruin
Genre: Amnesia, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Trauma, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Empath, Fluff and Angst, Ford Cruller is young, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, Lots of emotional stuff going on here, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Mild Language, Minor Canonical Character(s), My First AO3 Post, Personal Demons, Psychic Abilities, Self-Insert, empathic abilities, he comes in later, shadow man - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24809692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blayk_ist_nichts_und_dumm/pseuds/Blayk_ist_nichts_und_dumm
Summary: [Psychonauts One-Shot]When I ran through the portal the last thing I expected was to find a small child in a sailor uniform upset. This night gets crazier and crazier...
Kudos: 5





	Two Kids With Parent Problems

**Author's Note:**

> When I learned of Cali's (partial) backstory, I was reminded of mine almost instantly. This is based off that feeling of our parents. This is a one-shot so unless absolutely necessary, I won't be continuing it.

It was odd. Not bad, but odd. I remember waiting for a checkup, when a man in a coat gave me an odd stone and threw me through a portal. It was dark, but the moonlight gave sight to the beautiful yet haunting forest around me. I was confused, I was tired from the wait, I couldn’t afford freaking out at being lost, that would make things worse.

I had left my phone at home, so I couldn’t tell the time, but seeing how I was just getting more sloppy and rigid, it was probably 2 in the morning, which was my usual time to become sleepy. There weren’t really animals I had to worry about either, made this better for me.

I stopped and froze. I heard quiet sobbing coming from ahead where an opening was. Was someone sad? I could instantly feel strong emotions run through me, this wasn’t new. I could feel shame, a strong sense of it at that… I could feel that and what felt like fear, major fear. I should keep walking but those emotions- this had to be someone young, I haven’t felt adults feel like that in years… not even my own mother and father. Of course I’d disassociate whenever being flooded with their emotions so it was no surprise this was a change to them.

Ugh… I got no choice. I walked toward the sobbing, it just grew louder and I could hear it now. It was a kid, I wonder what happened to make him feel that way. As I came into the clearing, I could see him. Blue skin, jet raven hair messy and shoved to one side, and a cute sailor uniform. He was curled up, sobbing on the edge of the old dock, which from the looks would probably give way in a year or so. Enough about details, all I could see and hear was him. 

I approached him cautiously, quietly, and since he never poked his head up, sneakily. I was on the dock not but a foot to the side of him, and as I looked down- he was a fragile looking being. Horrible thoughts ran through my head. Ones I had waited for in the first place to be fixed.

I plopped myself next to him, and stared. His crying got quieter and I heard him take a breath.

“You here to call me a bad name too?” I had no reaction, but on the inside I was a tad shocked.

“I don’t know, do you think you are worth being called a bad name?” It was a horrible question to ask, but it was true. If he deemed himself only worthy of being name-called then so be it, if not… if not then I guess I could spare some talk and kindness.

“No.. mommy and daddy think I am though.” That caught me off guard. The curse of parents were real… Didn’t think it was THAT common.

“Your mommy and daddy- do they hurt you with those words?” I only got a nod in response as he finally looked up. He had goggles on which probably served as glasses, but the right side was green while the left was red, odd but beautiful combination of colors.

“Yeah… I don’t like how they make me feel.” Jeez this kid was pouring off sadness and shame. I tried to stable myself and stop from sobbing just from the force of it. Now I see why my body dissociates with adult’s feelings, this was strong.

“I know what you mean kid. My parents have said some pretty horrible things to me as well.” Now I got his attention. I am not about to make this about me though. I looked in the distance where the moon was shining brightly and reflecting off the horrid yet enchanting murky waters of the lake.

“It’s hard, especially as a kid to be treated like that. It gets better eventually, you just have to be strong.” I’ve been through this scenario too many times. I don’t need to know his backstory, or what happened the day he became this way. Every situation ended the same- they needed to be stronger.

“They want to send me to the hospital to be treated… I don’t like doctors so I don’t know if I can wait, mister…” Chills. This kid radiated innocence, why would his parents send him away to a hospital? Or do they mean-

“Is this hospital where they help your brain?” I asked as nicely as I could. He nodded.

“They said they’ll fix me from being a monster.” That hit harder than anything else. I sighed anxiously but kept myself from letting his emotions get to me.

“You aren’t a monster. They are.” He was visibly shocked.

“They're my mommy and daddy! They can’t be monsters!” Of course he’d cry. He was a child with no other person to influence him except his parents, he has no clue that they are treating him bad. Stupid human instincts.

“Kid, what does your heart say about them? In my eyes, from what I am gathering listening to you, sounds to me like they don’t treat you how loving parents should. Loving AND supporting parents would help you, not send you away.” I kept the venom in my voice from slipping out. It was easier to text people this- to say it was another.

I felt a wave of anger… but it wasn’t from me.

“W-well they- they feed me! Let me p-play with my t-toys and even g-g-get me new ones!” He choked on his sobs, he was defending them, angrily, and horribly.

I sighed again, this time heavier. He is the same way I used to be, before my parents became nothing more than strangers letting me live in their home.

“Kid, I won’t argue on you with this. But it is late at night, I am lost, and you are giving off so many heavy emotions its almost making me upset.” He gave me a confused look. Of course he would, anyone I’ve told that was confused at first, until they either told me I was joking or genuinely got to know more about it over time. It was true though, I wasn’t going to argue with him, not with these emotions as heavy as they are.

“Y-you can… feel my feelings?” He questioned me with a small sob. I just nodded.

“S-so that means y-you… can f-feel what I f-feel…” He was processing, good. Don’t need him freaking out on me.

“Does- does that mean your psychic too?” I froze visibly and mentally. I had no words to form. What had he meant by ‘your psychic too?’ I was an empath, not psychic. Although it could fall under the same category…

I felt a wave of- relation.

“Kid, I’m not psychic-” The relatable vibe lowered. I wasn’t done speaking yet.

“-but, I am an empath. You could basically call that a way less cooler version of psychokinesis.” That relatable feeling rushed in harder, the other negative emotions being drowned out by that and excitement, curiosity, and genuine happiness.

“So I am okay after all!” He said with a smile, and I raised a brow.

“What do you mean by that kiddo?” He bounced after I asked.

“Well, I am able to lift stuff without touching them! I read somewhere in our towns library that it is-”

“-Telekinesis.” I grinned, I knew he wouldn’t pronounce it quite right since he was a small boy (they usually have hard times pronouncing words they don’t use or aren’t used to using, kind of a cute and silly thought), his smile got wider.

“This is awesome! This doesn’t mean I need to visit the hospital right?” My heart broke.

“Actually…” There it was- the frown. If children weren’t a big weakness of mine, it was definitely feeling that wave of bad confusion and sadness from kids.

“You don’t need to really go, but I can’t stop your parents from taking you… no matter how bad I cannot interfere with family stuff kiddo…” I saw tears prick out the sides of his goggles. How could I tell him that I was technically going to the ‘hospital’ as well because of the things I feel and think of. Of course it is all my own accord, but… he is just so young. If its true, he can lift things, then if that got out no telling what the government would do. I felt something loom over me at that thought… of a kid so young being experimented on. I couldn’t allow it but at the same time, I didn’t care. I wanted to, so force the feeling I will have to do.

“Kid, I don’t know what your parents have said or done to you, but here is some advice. If anyone asks about your power, do not tell or show them. Don’t tell anybody else you can do those things.” Hiding, the one thing I was good at, and the one thing I knew how to do. Hiding is how I passed as decently sane all these years after all.

He looked at me, still saddened.

“But my parents know…” He looked to the floor of the deck he had been standing on since jumping up in excitement not but a minute before.

“So what? If they can’t prove what you can do, they can’t get anyone else to know or harm you.” I smirked, it was true. People would find the parents insane, not the kid, it would save the kid for sure, at least for a few more years.

“I-I guess so…” A minute passed after that, then another. Both us just staring forward at the lake and the moon.

The feeling in the air was neutral, but heavy, and I knew it was weighing both of us down.

“Oh… mister.” The kid said and I looked at him, finding him to be looking at me as well.

“I never asked your name, that was pretty rude of me not to…” I gave him a slight smile and nodded.

“Don’t sweat it. I’m Jayden. You are?”

“Caligosto. Caligosto Loboto.” What a mouthful, a unique name none the less.

“I think I’ll just call you Cali for short, that okay?” I heard him softly giggle.

“Perfect!” I smiled.

I felt a pulsing feeling in my pocket, and took the rock out that strange man had given me. It was glowing, and pulsating almost like a vein.

“What is that? Its very shiny!” Cali pointed out.

“I don’t know, somebody gave this to me and thats how I ended up here…” The kid made an ‘o’ with his mouth, obviously curious and bewildered by how a rock could get me here.

The rock itself- or crystal I should say- had a very strong pull, I investigated closer, focusing on the crystal. I didn’t expect it to start floating though.

“Hey- Cali are you doing that?” He shook his head. I thought the kid could lift stuff with his mind… so what was lifting it?

I felt an instinct to stand up and look down, which I did, only to be met with a shadow and a pull into the water.

I could hear Cali shouting my name, but I couldn’t respond as I struggled to hold my breath. Wasn’t this unfortunate. Drowning in front of a child, I’d always had thoughts of killing in front of a child, but not myself dying in front of one. I wasn’t supposed to have that thought…

I felt hands tug me down deeper as I felt my consciousness slip. I saw the crystal fly down, lighting up my already struggling peripheral. The hand pulling me down wasn’t a shadow… I looked behind me as best as possible, freezing.

Not her. She wasn’t supposed to be real. So how-

My train of thought stopped. The crystal. It sent me here, started floating on its own, and ever since having it I haven’t disassociated once, and the feelings emitting from the kid was stronger than usual- it was more than just a pretty stone I guess. 

I found it hard to believe in magic… psychic stuff wasn’t too much of a stretch, but now here I am, drowning because my shadow showed herself psychically. She wasn’t just in my brain anymore… My question is now-

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DROWN?!

I guess that was what needed to be said cause as soon as I thought it, I blacked out, the feeling of my shadows hands gripping me never fleeting… what a way to die.

* * *

I gagged, water came out and I felt as if a million trucks had hit me.

“Good, you’re okay!” I looked and tried to focus on the voice, my vision slowly coming back. Nope, still blurry. That would explain a distinct lack of glasses on my face.

I heard that voice laugh as his hands held up my glasses.

“The kid over there got these out the water while we pulled you in. Thank goodness you didn’t die on us.” He gave me a towel and I wiped my face off, taking my glasses that he must’ve dried from his hands, and I put them back on. It was an older gentleman. I would guess his mid-twenties from looking. A woman stepped behind him.

“Agent Cruller, we should head back now, we wasted enough time on this side quest.” He scoffed and pouted a bit at that.

“Alright alright, I’m coming.” The man- Cruller, turned his head to me and Cali (when did the kid sneak up beside me?) after standing up.

“You two take care now.” He gave a salute and him and the woman flew out of there. Wait- flying? Well I guess you meet one psychic kid and the rest come following, ain’t that right?

I felt a body clinging to me in a hug, even though I was soaked.

“I was worried!” Cali sobbed. I patted his head with a smile. Although that worrying I felt this time wasn’t from him- it was me… I could barely feel his emotions. I felt my pockets, the crystal was gone. So I was right… the crystal was an energy booster.

“It’s alright Cali, I am fine now.” I stood up after saying that, softly moving him and I dusted sand and dirt off myself.

“That lady that pulled you in kind of looked like you- you know…” He said quietly, and I froze. So she wasn’t being imagined. My shadow was there. Actually there, physically. 

“That lady is gone now Cali, don’t worry.” I could sense he was uneasy, but he nodded anyway. 

Out in the corner of my eye toward the woods, that same strange man who began this small adventure was standing there. I glared at him and then looked at Cali, crouching down to eye level with him.

“You should get home now Cali. I have to head out myself.” I heard him go ‘ _aaaaw_ ’ and I smiled.

“Maybe one day we’ll meet again. But remember what I told you?” Thankfully, he nodded. I sighed in relief.

“Good, now- give me a hug and run back home.” I opened my arms which he accepted happily, hugging me tight. It was this feeling I loved, it was the feeling of being appreciated, and loved back. 

“See you again soon!” Cali yelled as he ran on the shoreline to a globe of light in the distance, my guess, it was his town. My smile quickly turned into a frown, my feelings back to nothing once more I suppose.

I turned to the figure. Time to go back to the institution, and pray I pass being sane enough to live my life again. _See you soon Cali._


End file.
